Australian Muscle Car

Idon’t know about everyone else, but I’m still struggling with the demise of Holden. I know it’s a fact that Holden is gone, but for me it’s a reality that’s taking a long time to sink in. Yes, the dealership signs have all disappeared, but there are still Holdens everywhere on the roads – I drive one myself every day, in fact. And I intend to keep driving one for many days yet, because while my VY SS will soon celebrate its 20th birthday, I’ve not the slightest interest in trading it in on something newer. Out on the track, in motorsport, it’s also as though nothing has changed. Holdens are everywhere – in Touring Cars Masters, Group N Historic Touring, Historic Group A and C, and in modern production car…

When Peter Brock claimed an against-the-odds victory in the Bathurst 500 in 1972 in his HDT Torana LJ XU-1, a legend was born. The 50th anniversary of Brock’s first Bathurst win was celebrated at the Phillip Island Classic historic meeting in March with a huge display of XU-1 road cars, parade laps, and an on-track photo shoot on the Saturday afternoon. On the Thursday morning before the event an eager group of 33 enthusiasts, predominantly Sydney-based, assembled to begin their annual pilgrimage to the meeting. Eight LC and LJ Toranas (mostly LJ XU-1s) were joined by three LH/LX Toranas, a genuine Group C Escort, and a mild custom FC Holden. It seemed appropriate that we travelled via the Monaro Highway through Cooma, then on through Cann River to the overnight stop at…

The cat amongst the Torana pigeons on the road trip from Sydney to Phillip Island was this neat looking Ford Escort Twin Cam. But it’s not just any old Escort, as this one competed in the ’74 Bathurst 1000, with Jim Sullivan and Ian White sharing it to fifth in class B, and 16th outright. We understand that the road trip was the longest trip the Escort’s had since that ’74 Bathurst! The owner is on the lookout for colour pics of the car from that event, so if anyone can help just drop us a line here at AMC.…

If you’re heading for the NSW snowfields this winter, you might want to stop for a while in Cooma and check out Australia’s newest car museum. A long-held dream of the members of the Cooma Car Club, the Museum was opened by the Club’s oldest member – Ross Johnson, 90 – in February this year. It’s a treasure trove of vehicles with a regular display of around 30-40 cars plus a collection of motor cycles. While several of the cars in the museum are ‘Cinderella’ stories in terms of the state they were in when first discovered compared to the way they look now, the Torana SL/R 5000 on display was a true ‘barn find’ 10 years ago. The chicken manure-embellished wreck was stored in a shed and used to ferry hay…

SOLD Who? 2022 Shannons Summer Timed Online Auction What? 1974 Ford Fairmont XB 6-Cyl Coupe When? February 22 – March 1 How much? $83,500 SOLD Who? 2022 Shannons Summer Timed Online Auction What? 1971 Holden HQ Monaro GTS ‘350 Enhanced’ When? February 22 – March 1 How much? $134,000 SOLD Who? 2022 Shannons Summer Timed Online Auction What? 1993 Holden HSV VP2 Clubsport Sedan #21 When? February 22 – March 1 How much? $21,000 SOLD Who? 2021 Shannons Spring Timed Online Auction What? 1978 Chrysler CL Valiant V8 ‘4-Speed Manual’ Sedan (One Off Build AFP Car) When? February 22 – March 1 How much? $44,500 SELLING Who? Burns & Co Classic Car Auction – Bayswater, VIC What? 1972 Ford Falcon XA GT Sedan 4-speed manual When? April 10, 2pm SELLING Who? Burns & Co Classic Car Auction – Bayswater, VIC What? 1978 Ford Sundowner V8 Panel Van 4-speed manual When? April 10, 2pm SELLING Who? Burns & Co Classic…

Cuppa Tea Motors is Tom Vondrasek’s new book on the life and career of former Ford touring racing legend Murray Carter, and it was launched by the man himself at the recent the VHRR Phillip Island Classic in March. In a career that began as early as the late 1940s (on motorcycles), Murray was still racing into his ‘80s; his longevity in the sport – some 66 years! – is probably unsurpassed in Australia, and possibly it’s even a world record. The book is available in hard or soft cover; to enquire, email ccarter18.cc@gmail.com…